Abstract: A digital multiplexer accommodates a large number of information signal channels per digital transmission channel through use of an improved statistical coding technique and successive frame transmission, the technique being based on channel designation and channel code permatation. The information signals are encoded into transmission code words, the code words are ordered into successive transmission frames and the transmission frames are sent over a communications highway to a remote location.

Abstract: A digital multiplexer accommodates a large number of voice channels per digital channel through use of an improved statistical coding technique. Analog information on the voice channels is encoded into multibit digital words by PCM encoders and the bit position at the output of each PCM encoder is staggered such that a predetermined bit in each word is presented at different times to encoder outputs. The multibit digital words are converted to multibit digital code words and the code words are in turn converted into a PAM signal for transmission over a communications highway. Bit staggering advantageously allows the use of a minimum number of PAM signal levels in comparison to prior art techniques.

Abstract: A communications system and network wherein communications links between subscribers are established by retrodirective oscillating loops between each subscriber and a node station. Provision is also made for establishment of links between nodes so that remotely located subscribers can communicate. Information is transmitted between subscribers by using a mixing process in the node whereby information transmitted from one subscriber to the node is transferred at the node to a carrier signal transmitted between the node and another subscriber.